Anti-friction top roll



R. RULON-MILLER ANTI-FRIC'IION TOP ROLL Aug. 2, 1955 Filed July 19. 1952 K M 0 wu. a WM Wm nmlnzN o w Mm Du w w Dn @QN ANTI-FRICTION TOP ROLL Robert Rulon-Miller, Bristol, R. I., assignor to Dixon Lubricating Saddle Co., a corporation of Rhode Island This invention relates to improvements in an antifriction top roll. More especially it has to do with the provision in such a top roll of simple clutching means for frictionally locking the cots to the shaft of the top roll when the cots require bufiing.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, it has been necessary with top rolls having free running cots to remove the latter from the shaft of the top roll and separately buff each cot-which is quite unsatisfactory because of the extreme diliiculty of buflng both cots to the same diameteror to have a more or less complicated attachment for a buffng machine whereby each cot can be positively turned on the top roll shaft while being treated by the bu'ng means.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide simple clutching means between each cot and the shaft of the top roll whereby the cots can be slipped along the shaft into frictional engagement with the latter so that the top roll shaft and cots can then be rotated as a unit and the cots be easily and accurately buffed.

The best mode in which it has been contemplated applying the principles of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings but these are to be deemed merely illustrative because it is intended that the patent shall cover by suitable expression in the appended claims whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is an elevation partly in medial section through a top roll embodying my improvements, showing the cots in their freely rotating positions; and

Fig. 2 is a like elevation in medial section showing the cots in clutched relation to the top roll shaft in position to be buled.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the improved top roll has, in effect, a main shaft made up of two identical sections joined together by a single sleeve 12 which constitutes the central arbor of the top roll. Since the two sections are identical only one need be described in detail. Each section comprises a ball bearing unit having a cylinder 14 rotatable on balls 16 which turn on a shaft 18 having portions projecting on both sides of the cylinder. On one of these portions 18a is pressed a cap sleeve 20 which forms an end gudgeon of the top roll, and on the other portion 18b is pressed another sleeve 22 which extends somewhat beyond the end 18b of the roller bearing shaft 18. Between the sleeves 20 and 22 and the cylinder 14 are felt washers 24 to absorb any lubrication that may exude from the ball bearing unit.

The extending sleeves 22 of each section are pressed into the common sleeve 12 which provides the central arbor. Both the sleeves 20 and 22 on the ends of the roller bearing shaft 18 have portions of substantially the same diameter as the outside diameter of cylinder 14 and in these portions are circumferential grooves 20a and 22a respectively forming so-called lint traps. Around the outer surface of cylinder 14 is another circumferennite States Patent O 2,7 14,229 Patented Aug. 2, 1955 tial groove 14a in which is located a split ring 26 normally slightly expanded so as to stand out beyond the surface of the cylinder but which can yield toward the axis thereof.

On the cylinder 14 in each section is placed a rotatable unit 28 having an inner metal shell 28a which has a nice sliding fit with the outer surface of the cylinder 14 and also with portions of the outer surface of sleeves 20 and 22 frictionally secured to the ends of shaft 18. The external covering or cot 28b of this shell runs on the yarn that passes between it and a bottom roll (not shown) of a spinning or roving frame.

At the middle of the internal surface of the metal shell 28a is a circumferential groove 28e adapted to receive the extending portion of the aforesaid split ring 26 when the unit 28 is slipped onto the cylinder 14. AS the unit is placed on the cap sleeve 20 and pushed toward the arbor 12 the split ring 26 yields into its groove 14a on the cylinder 14 until the other groove 28a` on the inside of the shell 28a comes opposite the ring, whereupon the latter springs outward slightly and is engaged by both grooves to position the unit. In this position the unit 28 is freely rotatable with respect to the main shaft of the top roll.

The clutching means of the present invention is provided by having the inner surface of the end of the metal shell 28a which is next to the central arbor 12 tapered slightly outward, as at 28d, and by having each end of the central arbor 12 tapered inward, as at 12a, to match the taper on the shell. These tapers provide the clutching means, because when the unit 28 is pushed toward the arbor 12, the split ring 26 yields into groove 14a of cylinder 14 and allows the unit to slip toward the central arbor until the tapered surface 28d of its metal shell 28a engages the tapered surface 12a of the arbor 12. Thus the unit is frictionally clutched to the arbor and is no longer freely rotatable. It must now turn with top roll shaft which comprises the arbor 12, the sleeves 20 and 22 and the shafts 18. By exerting pressure on the inner surface of the metal shell 28a the split ring 26 helps to hold the above mentioned tapered surfaces in proper engagement.

With both cots thus frictionally held to the shaft of the top roll the ends 20b of the cap sleeves 20 can be secured to usual means on a buing machine to cause the shaft and the cots of the top roll to be rotated simultaneously as a unit, whereupon the grinding or buing wheel of the machine can be moved back and forth across the cots to resurface their external covering 28b and bring them in accurate alignment with one another.

After the buing is completed the units can be slipped away from the central arbor 12, and upon reengagement of each split ring with its cooperating groove 28e in the metal shell 28a the cots are again restored to their proper positions on the cylinders 14 and are freely rotatable. When it becomes necessary to renew the external covering or cots 28b of the units 28 the latter can be slipped off of their cylinders away from the arbor 12 and have new coverings or cots put on metal shells 28a. Thereafter, the newly covered units are slipped back on their cylinders, clutched to the arbor and bufed, before being used, to bring the two into accurate alignment.

I claim:

l. An anti-friction top roll having a pair of antifriction bearings, each bearing having an element thereof which is rotatable relative to another element of the bearing, a common shaft for connecting similar elements of each bearing, a central arbor mounted on the inner end of said shaft, a cylinder mounted on each of the other of said elements to rotate therewith so as to be freely rotatable relative to said arbor, a shell on said cylinderha cot Yon 5said shell, said .shell .being 4mounted for axial movement along its cylinder, and clutch means on said shell and on the central arbor for clutching the shell to the :arbor for rotation therewith `when the shell is axially vrnoved -into engagement `with.the arbor.

:2. :A .top roll i having 'ajshaf t an rantiffriotion -beaing mounted on said shaft and provided with 'anexternal cylinder y-having \an external*circumferential groove )in its sufface,;a split resilient ring lmounted in-said groove, aishell'mounted on said cylinder for rotation-therewith andaxially l;slidab1e along said vcylinder having an xinternal circumferential groove :for engagement by Hsaid ring, :the latter Ayielding lintofthe external :groove of. said cylinde'i :to :permit movementof theJ-shelltpast'saidasprging said spring expanding:intovengagementlwith,saidfinternal cireumferlentiaL-groove Fto frictionally` holdfzthe-shel1 :in rotatable-ipositionfon said cylinder, a .cot on said shell, an arborn1ounted,on said shaft/in separated relation .to said shell ,when said ring is lengaged with fboth said grooves, said -arbor -and `said shellha'ving 'oppositely tapered means to clutch them ftogether upon said-:shell being-axiallymovedalong :said cylinder finto engage- Ymenhwith .saidarbor for connecting said shell to said References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS -2,133,228 `Sl'escovrlte Oct. 1l, 1938 `2,150,796 Brcnivsfer,,etal Mar. 14, 1939 v2,260,770 `Brownlee Oct. 28, 1941 2,525,591 ,'Coth'ett Oct. 10, 1950 

